his year had it all. We can all agree here. We had some great discoveries such as Quantum Computing advancements made by Google with their chip “Willow”.
The chip released by Google made possible the showcasing of quantum technology when it comes to solving complex problems more efficiently than ever. It also highlighted the endless possibilities we have in the tech field and the growing significance of quantum computing.
We also had some new gadgets on the market, generative AI applications as well as new models in the world of AR and VR. Think about the Headsets released by Apple or about Meta’s Oculus. This year we also saw the expansion of 5G technology and let’s not forget that sustainable technology is finally becoming a bigger deal in the world of tech.
AI-powered scientific Discoveries were also another important factor that contributed to the development of tech as they were useful in scientific discoveries, research, communication, and infrastructure as well as sustainability.
Yet, we can not forget that we also had some failures that are worth mentioning in this 2024 Tech-wrapped edition.
Remember the Crowdstrike Global Outage? If you don’t, let us refresh your memory. In July 2024 a faulty software update made by the cybersecurity company Crowdstrike led to total chaos when it came to the tech world and not only. The outage affected 8.5 million Microsoft Windows systems all around the world, causing airlines to lose data, making people angry and without without tehri flight tickets.
The outage also had an impact on Bank and Dinancila institutions impacted customers' transactions and denied acces to theri financial services. The crisis also hit hospitals and emergency services as healthcare facilities encountered system failures.
Delta Airlines, an American airline reported losses of up to $500 million due to the incident, the total estimate from the Crowdstric outage being around $5 billion, only for Fortune 500 companies alone.
“CrowdStrike caused a global catastrophe because it cut corners, took shortcuts, and circumvented the very testing and certification processes it advertised, for its own benefit and profit,” wrote Delta in the complaint. “If CrowdStrike had tested the Faulty Update on even one computer before deployment, the computer would have crashed.”.
However, Crowdstrike is making efforts to deploy all needed fixes and address all the issues. But, this will require a longer period of time and many resources.
China’s Salt Typhone Hack was another failure from the world of tech that is worth mentioning. The incident was linked to a Chinese hacking group named “Salt Typhoon” and it was a breach in at least eight telecommunications systems in the US during a period of time of nearly two years.
Riana Pferfferkorn, a Standford Academic talked about this issue, adding critiques to the government and the law that is supposed to protect us. “The law says your telecom must make your calls wiretappable (unless it encrypts them), creating a system that was always a target for bad actors” also adding that “This hack exposes the lie that the U.S. [government] needs to be able to read every message you send and listen to every call you make, for your own protection. This system is jeopardizing you, not protecting you.”.
And, let’s not forget about the National Public Data Breach, where there were exposed over 272 million Social Security numbers along with personal information, dates of birth, and even employment history. The leaked information became rapidly available on hacking websites and caused incredible risks in the identity theft department and fraud.
This unfortunate tech failure caused many individuals to get in contact with legal services in order to regain theri identity. And the National Public Data services were forced to stop theri operations and seek alternative providers.
The National Public Data Breach reinforced once again the importance of data encryption and proactive monitoring as mandatory practices we all need to take into account when divulging our sensitive information and data.
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The year 2024 was a paradox when it came to technology. It had both good and bad, meaning its progress and its downfall. We had some great events such as LEAP 2024, Lenovo Tech World, and Figma’s Config. As well as, some significant lawsuits and class actions regarding tech and social media. But, let’s not forget about the progress we made with Generative AI, 5G technology, sustainable alternatives, electric vehicles, and autonomous cars. All of those have paved the way for a more connected, efficient, and creative future.
We also had some vulnerabilities when it comes to the digital world and data protection, making us more aware of data protection and stronger cybersecurity. Yet, despite all of this, 2024 was an important year that demonstrated to us how technology can change our lives, both in good and bad. It was a year for learning adapting and building momentum for the innovations of tomorrow. So, stay positive and jolly for a new year of tech!
By
George King
•
December 18, 2024 4:45 PM
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